Trump triggers fury in Europe over ‘insulting’ Afghanistan claim
Updated ,first published
London: US President Donald Trump provoked the anger of war veterans and political leaders by claiming that allied troops were “holding back a little bit” from fighting alongside American troops in the war in Afghanistan, with Prince Harry joining the condemnation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump should apologize for his remarks – a stance also supported by conservative political leaders – and families of those who served condemned the US president for what they called a “disgraceful” slur against veterans.
The turmoil that dominated the British media on Friday (Saturday AEDT) spread to France and other US allies as veterans learned of Trump’s remarks in an interview. Fox News On Thursday he questioned the NATO pact and downplayed the contribution of allied forces.
“I think we get along very well with NATO, but I’ve always said if we need them are they going to be there, and that’s really the biggest test. And I’m not sure about that,” he said in an interview on Fox News at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“We never needed them, we never asked them for anything.
“You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan in one way or another, and they did, they stayed behind a little bit, they stayed out of the front lines a little bit… But we’ve been very good to Europe and a lot of other countries.”
The comments echoed Trump’s complaint about the reliability of NATO allies but added a new slur against those serving in Afghanistan; This is a false claim because Australian soldiers and other allied troops served on the front lines of this conflict.
While the facts show that the United States invoked the NATO agreement and received assistance from its allies when Al Qaeda launched terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC on September 11, 2001, Trump’s remarks included the false claim that the United States did not ask for anything from its NATO allies.
Starmer, who had a good relationship with Trump last year, suggested the president should apologize.
“I will never forget their courage, bravery and sacrifice for their country,” he said of the soldiers. “I think President Trump’s words were insulting and, frankly, appalling, and I am not surprised that they caused so much pain to the loved ones of those killed or injured, and even across the country.
“If I had made a mistake or said those words, I would definitely apologize.”
The intense criticism of the US president follows a week of open disagreement within the NATO alliance over the Greenland request and his threat to impose tariffs on eight countries, including major allies sending troops to Afghanistan.
While Trump backtracked on Wednesday by withdrawing his tariff threat and refusing to seize Greenland by force, his remarks on Afghanistan set off a new firestorm over the alliance.
Prince Harry, who served as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner in Afghanistan, joined the barrage of criticism from veterans.
“In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in history,” he said in a statement.
“This meant that every allied nation had to stand with the United States in Afghanistan for our common security. Allies answered the call.
“I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there. 457 service personnel were killed in the UK alone.
“Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried their sons and daughters. Children were left fatherless. Families bore the price.
“These sacrifices deserve to be talked about honestly and respectfully, as we all remain united and remain committed to diplomacy and the defense of peace.”
The harsh reaction in Britain led to King George III. It raises questions about Charles’ plans to visit the US later this year to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence; It’s an important visit, given Trump’s obvious admiration for the royal family.
Former paratrooper Ben Parkinson told the BBC he was “stunned” when he heard Trump’s remarks. Parkinson was injured when his vehicle hit a mine in Afghanistan in 2006; both of his legs were amputated, among other injuries.
His mother, Diane Dernie, called Trump’s remarks “disgraceful.”
The backlash has spread to France and other NATO members, given the number of Afghanistan war veterans in each country.
French military historian and retired colonel Michel Goya chided Trump on social media.
“May you be haunted by the ghosts of the 1,000 European and Canadian soldiers who fell martyrs in Afghanistan,” he wrote to X.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mentioned Afghanistan to Trump during their meeting in Davos on Wednesday, after listening to the US president ask whether allies would come to America’s aid in the event of a crisis.
“Let me tell you, they will, and as you know, they did it in Afghanistan,” Rutte told Trump as media crews recorded the debate.
“For every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another NATO country, from the Netherlands, from Denmark, and especially from other countries, who did not return to his family.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk scolded Trump, recalling his visit to Afghanistan in 2011 after the deaths of five soldiers from Poland. Tusk was the Polish leader at the time and sent troops into the conflict.
Tusk wrote in X: “The American officers accompanying me at the time said that America will never forget the Polish heroes. Perhaps they will remind President Trump of this fact.”
Trump’s statements that the United States does not want anything from its NATO allies are factually incorrect, as the United States has called on its allies in major conflicts since World War II. In accordance with Article 5 of the NATO pact, the allies agree that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members.
US State Department records show that NATO invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty at a special meeting on September 12, 2001, following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC. NATO aircraft were deployed to protect US airspace.
Additionally, NATO allies have joined the United States in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Australian prime minister at the time, John Howard, appealed to the ANZUS alliance and sent troops to Afghanistan and later to Iraq.
Trump’s statements that NATO allies’ troops are “a little behind” and “off the front lines” are also factually incorrect, as most allies have sent their troops to front-line positions.
Allies were assigned to different parts of the country, and their forces operated in front-line conditions, just as U.S. forces did in other regions. The bulk of Australian forces were based in Tarin Kowt and other areas in Uruzgan province, as well as in the Netherlands.
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